Tuesday, September 27, 2011

If you read this in September and are enjoying McIntosh, you are in good company. This quintessential New England apple, crisp, flavorful, and juicy with plenty of sugar and tart, is a classic.

But what do you eat in October or August? And what other apples might you like?

If you don't know, or would like to broaden your horizons, here are my suggestions.From the start of the apple season in July, many early varieties vie for the McIntosh crown: Jersey Mac and innumerable generic "Early Mac" apples. In my experience these do not live up to their promise. Of the very early varieties, Paula Red probably evokes McIntosh best.

Novamac, which is half McIntosh itself, is an even better early Mac variety, but does not mature until about a week before you can get the real thing.

Consider, too, Jonamac, another Mac hybrid available around the end of August.

You may also appreciate Vista Bella, often the first apple of the year, and Gravenstein, a really excellent summer variety. Click the links for descriptions.

Hampshire is particularly attractive and a bit later; Enterprise, later still, is a great keeper. Hard-to-find Davey is a wonderfully balanced apple with great texture and flavors that could (maybe) give Grandpapa Mac a run for his money.

Of historical interest is Fameuse, also known as Snow. It is sometimes named as McIntosh's parent and has many of the same crisp vinous qualities.

McIntosh is grown in sufficient quantity for the wholesale market, and is for sale in supermarkets through June in some parts of the country. But though controlled storage preserves Mac's crunch, it loses flavor over time.

Sadly, there isn't a really good substitute for the Mac in the off season, though Empire, and its generic vinous and berry qualities, are widely available most of the year in supermarkets.

If your mouth loves the Mac, congratulations! You can probably enjoy almost any eating apple, and I encourage you to be adventurous. The above picks are at least a little Mac like.